This section reveals some of the common and intriguing myths in the world of medicine and discusses some of the exciting recent medical discoveries and how they affect your world.


8. DO NOSESTRIPS HELP ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE?

We've all seen those adhesive strips that stick to the bridge of the nose that contain a spring apparatus to spread out the nostrils...do they actually help athletes to breathe easier? The theory is that they open the nasal passages further and therefore lower nasal airflow resistance and thus improve performance by increasing the amount of oxygen to the muscle. Sounds reasonable enough...but , scientific studies have failed to show any significant improvement in overall amount of oxygen received, endurance and recovery. Basically, the use of nosestrips failed to enhance performance at all... but, some weird scientists tried these nose strips out on racehorses and they actually made the horses run faster...especially if they were on really tight. Another thing we commonly see in athletes are those black marks they paint under the eyes... football players claim it reduces the glare on sunny days. According to a July 2003 study in the Archives of Ophthalmology, this grease paint does actually work by absorbing sunlight and preventing it from shining into the players eyes. Apparently scientists are now currently studying the effects of putting mascara on racehorses...